


Days at the Stables

by iSaphura



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Gen, Horses, My First Work in This Fandom, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-26
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-03-19 19:17:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18976747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iSaphura/pseuds/iSaphura
Summary: The Hylian Stable Network sees many travelers come through, each with their own story. Here are a few involving the Hero of Hyrule.





	1. Gerudo Canyon Stable

**Author's Note:**

> I was going through my documents, and found this, along with an outline or two for the other stables. So here you go! Now I have an excuse to play BotW again. My plan is to write one short for each stable, but we'll see how far I get. Updates probably won't be too regular.  
> The red stallion is my horse from my second play-through. His name is Autumn, a.k.a Big Red, a.k.a Secretariat 'cause he's a fast boi and I love him.

"May Malanya smile upon you and grant you a safe journey!" 

Piaffe waved good-bye to yet another satisfied customer. Business at the Gerudo Canyon Stables was certainly booming today; that had been the sixth customer to come through! After a period of drought, travelers were once again flowing through the canyon. The day was dry and hot, and travelers were fleeing the scorching sands just beyond the canyon mouth for the deeper and cooler reaches of the stone walls. Others were waiting for cooler temperatures before venturing out.

And stopping by the stables in the process, of course.

The continuous wind that had blown through the canyon for weeks almost non-stop had finally ceased a few days ago following a sandstorm so intense it had entered the canyon proper. For hours, the stable hands and patrons had huddled in the main living quarters, listening to the howling wind and roaring thunder and hoping the stable wasn't carried away by the wind.

Once the storm had passed, the air was perfectly calm. The air was not hazy with dust. For the first time in weeks, Piaffe and his stable hands were able to get to work and properly repair the stable and undo weeks of wind-blown damage. They mended canvas, stabilized posts, and swept out piles of dust. The stable hadn't looked so good in months.

The next day, the first travelers trickled in from the desert. They were mostly merchants who had been trapped at the Kara Kara Bazaar for the past several weeks, unable to enter Geurdo City, and unable to safely return to the canyon and the rest of Hyrule because of Vah Naboris. The Devine Beast had been stalking the desert for a while, but only recently had it been stirring up sandstorms so fierce that few who were caught by them were seen again. As more travelers entered the canyon and passed through the stable, they told the same miraculous story: Naboris had been calmed! The great Beast no longer stalked the desert, in fact, it had climbed to the top of Spectacle Rock and not sat poised on the mountain facing Central Hyrule. The Gerudo  _vai_ traveling through the canyon added a most interesting detail: it had been their Chief Riju, accompanied by a Hylian  _vai_ who had calmed the great Beast Vah Naboris. Of course, their Chief did most of the work.

Piaffe sighed with contentment. Yes, the stable certainly was livelier than ever as travelers, merchants, and brides-to-be came and went. He looked over at the corral. Most of the horses and beasts of burden had been claimed by their owners as they returned from the desert, but a few remained. One, in particular, stood out: a young and feisty fire-red stallion. It was pacing the corral, as usual, probably wishing to stretch its legs and truly run. Piaffe had been the one to give the red stallion some exercise over the past few weeks; none of the other hands could manage the horse, and even then Piaffe could barely do it. The horse had speed and stamina to spare, a fine example of Ridgeland stock.

The horse seemed to be watching the canyon mouth, waiting for its rider to return. Its rider was a young man with golden hair, if Piaffe recalled correctly, barely more than a boy. He had only stayed a night before venturing out into the desert. The stable master would have pegged him as one of noble blood if there were any noble families left in Hyrule. Most were killed in the Calamity, and those who had been lucky enough to survive had fled across the sea, leaving those less fortunate and less endowed to suffer and struggle to survive.

Piaffe had struggled to get the young man to speak more than a word or two at a time until he had asked to stable his horse while he continued on into the desert.

 _"The open desert is dangerous these days, are you sure?"_ Piaffe had asked.

The young man had nodded.  _"I have to. I've lost something and I think someone out there can help me find it. I also need to find a way to calm the Devine Beast."_

The stable master had thought the young man was joking about calming the Beast, but now that the winds had stilled, the dust settled, and the Beast moved on, Piaffe couldn't help but wonder: had the young man spoken the truth? Perhaps he had managed to help the Gerudo Chief and Hylian _vai_ calm Naboris?

"Here comes another!"

Piaffe turned to the canyon mouth. A figure shimmered in the heat of the late day as they approached. As they entered the shade of the canyon, the red stallion let out a loud cry and rushed to the fence. The figure was its rider. The young man had changed since the last time Piaffe had seen him. He wore the garb of the ever-rare Gerudo  _voh_ , and his skin was tanned from the desert sun, though not burnt. Unlike most of the Hylians who wandered in from the desert, he was not ragged or dried out. He seemed stronger, refreshed even.

The young man let out a piercing whistle that echoed off the canyon walls, and again the red horse whinnied. The young man hurried over to the corral fence and greeted his horse. Piaffe couldn't help but smile as the two were reunited. They had traveled many miles together and would travel many more. The red horse followed its rider as he walked over to the desk where Piaffe was standing.

 "So," Piaffe said. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

The young man nodded. "I did. I would like my horse readied to leave."

"My friend, it will be night soon," Piaffe answered. "Stay and rest, we still have enough room. Not to mention a good group of lodgers this evening, you could travel with them in the morning. Old Pirou is making his famous mushroom stew tonight, aren't you, Pirou?"

"Finally have enough rushrooms!" Pirou called out. He waved a wooden spoon and stood over a large cooking pot.

"What do you say, young man?" Piaffe asked. "Travelling alone can be tiring."

The young man paused to consider the offer and then nodded. "Perhaps I will stay the night. I have been traveling alone for a while."

"Wonderful! Supper will be served within the hour. In the meantime, you can stow your gear by that bed there. Oh! Before I forget, I never caught your name when you passed through the last time..."

"Link," the young man said. "My name is Link."

"Well then Link, welcome to Gerudo Canyon Stable! I hope you enjoy your stay!"


	2. Serenne Stable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had forgotten that Lynels could change as you progressed in the game, so I went looking for a blue one and ended up getting my butt handed to me by a silver one.  
> The horse featured is once again Autumn. I promise there will be other horses.

Sprinn stretched. It had been a quiet morning so far, which was welcome after the night before. Last night the wind had howled across the Salari Plain, causing the trees surrounding Serenne Stable to bend and creak. Despite the awful noise, the trees stood tall, defying the wind and protecting the stable and its inhabitants from the worst of the storm. Sprinn remembered a time when the trees weren’t so tall, and the winds would shake the stable. As a young boy, it had frightened him to no end, even with his mother’s stories of the Wind Riders.

The stable was certainly livelier than usual. Beetle had arrived yesterday, and a rider named Ronn had arrived the day before on his way northward. The three scholars had been at the stable for several days now and were still arguing over mythical beasts and what could have possibly caused their demise. Yesterday, just as the windstorm had set in, a young man Link with golden hair riding a handsome red horse had arrived. After setting his horse up in a pen, Link had gratefully accepted a bowl of stew before collapsing into a bed. He was still asleep, and Zumi had fed and watered his horse with the others not too long ago.

“Hoy Sprinn!” Zumi shouted. “Looks like we got some riders and a wagon! They’re headed this way fast...”

Suddenly, Lark and Onyx, the two stable dogs, raced over to the eastern gate and began growling and barking. Sprinn frowned. They never did that to travelers…

Zumi let out a scream. “ _LYNEL!_ ”

All activity around the stable ground to a halt. Sprinn vaulted over the desk and raced to the eastward gate. He could see the approaching travelers: two riders and a cart. But behind him was a sight that made his blood run cold. He was familiar with the blue Lynel which lived in the Aldor Foothills, it had claimed that territory for years and rarely ventured near the road. It sometimes strayed down to Irch Plain, but not much further. In fact, the blue Lynel was so well known to those commonly passing through Serenne Stables that they had given the Lynel a name: Palki, the Horsemen’s word for blue.

However, the Lynel chasing down the approaching caravan was not Palki. It was not a blue Lynel. This was a new Lynel. A _silver_ Lynel.

“Hylia preserve us,” Sprinn breathed. He looked back at the stable inhabitants, which were looking in his direction with fear etched across their faces. A merchant, three scholars, and two riders, one of whom was asleep; hardly a force capable of fending off a silver Lynel. Zumi screamed again. The Lynel had shot a volley of arrows, some hitting the cart. The cart burst into flames.

Sprinn could see his stable also going up in flames. There was no time. No time…

“ _Hya_!”

A large red blur blew past Sprinn and Zumi. It was the red horse from last night, with Link on its back. As Link and his horse passed the caravan, he reached around and retrieved his bow, knocked an arrow, and let it fly. The arrow was followed by three more in quick succession before Link took up the reigns and pulled his horse to the side to avoid the Lynel’s response. The two began circling each other.

Meanwhile, the caravan had arrived. Ronn and one of the scholars helped to remove the panicked horses from the burning cart. Beetle and the other two along with Zumi began passing buckets and throwing water onto the flames.

“We were on the road when it just appeared,” the cart driver panted. “No idea where it came from. I guess it moved in on old Palki’s territory and decided to expand.”

“And you thought to bring it to the stable?!” Sprinn’s voice cracked.

“Where else could we go?” the driver cried. “I’ve seen a few Lynels in my time, they usually lose interest if you run...”

 _But not silver ones_ , Sprinn thought. He turned back to the battle. Link, for some inexplicable reason, had gotten _off_ his horse and was now facing the Lynel on foot. It didn’t take long for Sprinn to realize Link knew what he was doing, and had probably faced off with a Lynel before. Link was armed with a sword and shield against the Lynel’s spear, yet despite the disadvantage in reach Link was holding his own and actually seemed to be gaining the upper hand. He dodged and/or deflected most attacks, and sought out openings in the Lynel’s defenses.

Sprinn couldn’t believe what he was watching.

Suddenly, the tables turned. Link dodged a swing of the Lynel’s spear but stumbled on the landing. It was enough to knock him off balance, and for the Lynel to swing his spear back around. Link barely managed to get his shield up, but still took the full force of the Lynel’s strike. It lifted him off his feet and threw him several meters. The Lynel roared in delight.

Link was slow to get up, and when he did he was wobbly on his feet and favoring his left side. Realizing its opponent was dazed, the Lynel pressed the attack, and Link was forced to go on the defensive. The sound of the Lynel’s spear continuously striking the young man’s shield rang out across the field.

He wasn’t going to last much longer.

Sprinn, as Stable Master, made the decision.

“To arms!” he shouted. “All of you to arms!”

The stable denizens stared at him like he was the Lynel.

“I don’t care what it is!” he shouted. “Everyone to arms!”

The stable burst into a flurry of activity. The scholars mounted their partially readied horses and grabbed two halberds and a sword. Beetle shed his large pack, grabbed a nearby pitchfork and climbed atop one of the two horses that had pulled the burning cart, the cart driver climbed onto the other. Zumi came out with her horse, Laurel, and Sprinn’s horse, Morning Star. Neither were saddled, but both riders had been riding bareback since they were children. Sprinn grabbed a sword, Zumi found her bow.

Out on the field of battle, things were going poorly for Link. The Lynel still had the upper hand and was not allowing the young man to catch his breath or regain his feet. In the trees, the red horse cried out in alarm. The Lynel swung its spear once more, and Link raised his shield to block it.

The spear struck.

The shield broke.

Once more, Link was sent flying like a rag doll. He hit the ground and rolled a short distance. He didn’t get up right away. The Lynel roared in triumph and slowly stalked towards its fallen foe, ready to drive home the final strike.

Sprinn let out a roar of his own and gave Morning Star a kick. The horse galloped forward. Behind him, the rest of the newly formed stable defense force also belted out battle cries and followed. They raced along, shouting and screaming in defiant terror.

The Lynel watched them approach, confused as to what was going on.

Zumi, Ronn, and one of the caravan riders let fly their arrows, and they hit their mark. Sprinn felt adrenaline flush into his body. If he was going to die, then at least it would be defending his stable. He shouted once more, swinging his sword about.

Link rose from the ground. He was barely able to stand and was using his sword for support. The Lynel’s back was to him; it was more interested in the coming riders than the one presumably lying on the ground. Seizing the opportunity, Link unleashed a flurry of blows. The Lynel roared, this time in surprise, and jumped back. It’s front left leg collapsed as it landed.

The Lynel took in the scene: the young man with burning eyes who would not _stay down_ , and the approaching humans all of whom were armed. It decided to retreat. Roaring in anger it turned and limped away.

The stable defense force came to a stop and cheered. They had done it. They had defended the stable from a _silver Lynel_. Sprinn turned to find Link just in time to see the young man collapse, this time he did not get up. The red horse let out a cry and rushed towards its fallen rider.

Sprinn turned Morning Star in the direction of the fallen fighter. The young man had taken quite the beating, how could anyone survive that? The red horse circled the spot where Link fell, and then nudged something with its nose, presumably its fallen rider.

Much to Sprinn’s shock, a single hand reached up through the grass and stroked the red horse’s cheek. Even more to Sprinn’s shock, Link _sat up and looked around_. He looked… fine. Well, there were a few bruises and dirt and grass in his hair and clothes, and a gash through one of his sleeves, but for someone who had just taken on a silver Lynel single-handedly, he looked okay.

“That was amazing,” Spirnn spluttered. “How did you…? Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Link stood up and promptly turned bright red at the question. “Well, I don’t know really,” he said. “I don’t remember a lot about my past.”

“Zumi came riding up. “You’re all right!”

Link nodded. “Is everyone else all right?”

“Every one is fine,” Zumi said, looking back at the celebrating people. “Most of the merchant’s goods were saved from the cart.”

“Good,” Link said. “I’m not sure if that Lynel will come back...”

“Hopefully not today,” Sprinn said. “For now, let’s all regroup and catch our breath, yeah? Not many people can say they faced off with a silver Lynel and lived to tell the tale!”


End file.
